Veteran Member

Soon it will be July 25, the Feast of St James. Multitudes will convene and celebrate this historic Catholic event in Santiago de Compostela.

Government officials, church dignitaries, ordinary citizens, and, of course, thousands of actual pilgrims will be present. They will assemble to actively participate in age-old ecclesiastic pageantry and tradition. Imagine if they could be magically joined by all past pilgrims. Such a super-giant throng of celebrants would stretch back one thousand years!

Whatever our ethnicity or beliefs, all pilgrims who have walked the Camino share common bonds. All surely remember their personal thrill on arriving at last at the great cathedral, touching the hallowed stones, weeping with joy, and giving thanks as the great bells tolled.

At home in France I shall, as always, also remember and listen for those far-distant, celebratory bells.

Nunca se camina solo

Santiago is buzzing.The streets are full. There are bands, jugglers, singers, dancers and pipe bands all over the place. It is 33 degrees.

Over 1700 pilgrims have received Compostelas today ... so far!

The Cathedral is packed as the sung Vespers close the Novena leading up to the Feast. Thereafter everyone will go to the Plaza Obradoiro to await the sound and light display then the fireworks at midnight which will welcome the feast.

At 9am tomorrow there is the Feast Day Mass of the Archicofradia - founded in 1499 by the Kings of Spain and commissioned to recruit men and women of every nation to dedicate themselves to caring for pilgrims. Tomorrow 15 new members will be invested.

Then at 10am the Archbishop's procession leaves by the side door onto the Plaza Praterias. As this religious procession moves round to the square in front of the Cathedral the President of Galicia, representing the King, will inspect the armed forces and greet the great and good of Spain. The President then moves in procession to meet the Archbishop and together they will mount the steps to pass through the Portico de la Gloria as millions of pilgrims have done before for the Solemn Mass of the Feast of St James to begin.